Rotary internal-combustion engine



-E. DURR.

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULYIG. 1919.

Patented June 15, 1920.

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. Q fi'wenizar: Q I Ermsgkllurn E. DURR. R0 TARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY fi, 1-919.

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Patented June 15, 1920.-

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, ERNEST DUB/R, OF THE UNITED STATES 1 Application filed July 16,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST DURR, a citizen of the United States of America, an officer in the U. S. Navy, now stationed at New London, in the county of NewLondon, in the State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary internal combustion engines and has for its object the provision of means whereby the efficiency of a machine of this character will be greatly increased.

The invention consists of certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the drawings, and to the claims to be hereinafter given.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention one preferred form thereof is shown in the drawings, this form having been found to give satisfactory results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described, except as required by the scope of theappended claims.

Of the drawings: 1 I

Figure 1 represents an elevation of an engine embodying the principles of the present invention with the cover plate removed.

Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the 2on Fig. 1.

Fig.3 represents a diagram showing the relative position of the elliptical gears when the explosion is taking place between each pair of pistqns.

Fig. 4: represents a similar diagram showing said gears in the position they assume when the driving and driven disks are traveling at maximum and minimum angular ly. I

Fig. 5 represents a similar diagram'showing the same gears in the positions assumed at the completion of partial revolutions of the disks and gear velocities respective wheels, suflicient to actuate the intermediate elliptical gear through a half revolution.

Similar characters indicate like parts ROTARY INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

2 rotatable shafts 25 casing 10 and in NAVY.

Patented June 15, 1920.

1919. Serial No. 311,881.

ings.

In the drawings, 10 ing having a closing and another closing plate 12 on one side .of the gear box 13 extending from the, casing 10. The casing 10 and the closing member 11 are provided with alined bearings 13* and 14 respectively in which is mounted a rotary .driving shaft 15 provided with arr-annular flange or disk 16.

Superimposed upon is a chambered casthe inner end of the shaft 15 is a sleeve 17 provided with an annular flange or disk 18 the outer wall of which is adjacent the inner wall of the flange or disk 16. V V

In the outer end wall 19, 0f the gear 13 is a bearing 20 in alinement with the bearings 13 and 14 and in this hearing 20 member 11 at one end boxthroughout the several figures of the draw is mounted a power transmitting shaft 21 which is preferably provided with the usual fly wheel which, as it forms no part of the present invention, is not shown in the drawings.

To the inner end of the power transmitting shaft is secured an elliptical gear 22 meshing with both of the elliptical gears 23 and 24 keyed to and revoluble with short and 26 the opposite ends of which are mounted in bearings28 in the bearings 29 in the end wall 19 of the gear box 13. p

The shaft 25 has keyed thereto a pinion 3O meshing with a gear 31 secured to and revoluble with the sleeve 17.

The shaft 26 has secured thereto a pinion 32 meshing with a gear 33 secured to and revoluble with the shaft 15.

The disk 16 is provided with aplurality I of radial depressions 34in thereof equally spaced apart pression is disposed an arm member 36.

the periphery and in each e- 35 of a piston The arms 35 are retained in said depresmembers 36 plurality of annular peripheral packing the shaft 15.

rings 40.

The casing 10 is provided with an annular recess 41 semicylindrical in cross section and the closing member 11 is provided with a similar recess 42, the two recesses 41 and 42 providing an annular passage or chamber in which the pistons 36 and 39 are adapted to travel in a circular path about the axis of The disk 18 is w th an annular provided on its rear face rib 43 positioned 1n an annular groove in the casing 10, this construction serving as a means to prevent leakage from the piston chamber 41, 42 between said disk 18 and the adjacent wall of the casing 10.

To prevent leakage from the piston chamber 41, 42 between the disk 16 is provided with an annular rib 44 extending into an annular groove in the disk 18 and to prevent leakage between the disk 16 and the adjacent wallof the closing member 11 the disk 16 is provided withan, annularrib 45 extending into an annular groove in said closing member 11.

The piston chamber 41, 42 is partially surrounded by the chamber 46 adapted to contain a cooling medium to prevent the operating parts from overheating during .the operation of the engine.

. he engine is provided with two inlets 47 for the combustible mixture, one of said inlets being diametrically opposite the other.

Slightly separated from the inlets 47 are it the diametrically opposed exhaust ports 48 through which the waste gases'may be discharged.

The engine is also provided with two diametrically opposed spark plugs 49, said spark plugs being disposed intermediate the exhaust ports 48, and screwed into the casing 10.

As shown in the drawings twosets of the pistons 36 and 39 are in the position they assume when the charges of combustible mixture or gas between them are under maximum compression while of the other two sets of pistons'36, 39 the two pistons 36 are opening the exhaust ports 48 while the two pistons 39 are closing the inlet ports 47.

The pistons 36, 39 are adapted to rotate with the revoluble shaft 15 and the sleeve 17 thereonand move in the piston chamber 41, 42 in thedirection of the arrow at on Fig. 1. of the drawings.

The shaft 15 and sleeve 17 in turn actuate the gears 33, 31 and through the pinions 32, 30 the shafts 26, 25 are rotated. I

The shafts 25, 26 in turn rotate the elliptical gears 23, 24 both meshing with the elliptical gear 22 and thereby actuate the disks 16 and 18, theshaft 21, said elliptical gears 23, 24 and 22 remalning in mesh at the points of tangency of the pitch ellipses.

At each revolution of the disks 16 and 18 the pinions 30 and-32 will make four complete revolutions or in other words each of the pinions 30, 32 will make a complete revolution with every quarter revolution of the disks 16, 18. V

The elliptical gears 23 and 24 being secured to the same shafts 25, 26 carrying the pinions 30, 32, it is obvious that thesegears 23 and 24 will have the same angular-travel as said pinions 30, 32. The elliptical gear 23 is driven by the disk of the combustible mixture between the pis v tons 36 and 39. a I

This will cause the gear 23 to rotate inthe direction of the arrow Z) on F ig. 3 of the drawings and the gears 22 and- 24 will be rotated in the directions of the arrows 0, (Z on said figure. V V

As the gear 23 continues to rotate it is obvious that the radius of the gear 23 to the point of tangency with gear 22, will shorten and the v radii of the gears 22, 24 will lengthen until the three gears 23, 22, 24, reach the-positions indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. 1 g r As thegear 23 continues to rotate in the direction of the arrow 6, the reverse takes place until the gears 23, 22, 24 assume the positions indicated in Fig. 5 when the radii of the gears 23, 24 will On account of these changes in the length of the radii of the gears 23 and 24, the disk 18 and pistons 39 thereon will be driven at a certain angular velocity while the disk 16 and pistons 36 thereon will be driven at a reduced angular velocity against the same pressure which drives the vane 18. r

7 hen the gears 23, 22, 24 are in the position indicated in Fig. 4, the disks 18 and 16 will be traveling respectively at a maximum and minimum velocity. 1

The dotted lines on Fig. 3 indicate the major axes of the'gea'rs 23, 22, 24 while the line of dashes major axes of said gears corresponding to the positions indicated in Fig. 2

is the angle of travel of thedriving gear driven gear 24 while the arc G; indicates the angle through which the power shaft 21 has been driven.

Inasmuch as the sum of E and F equal 360 and the disks 16 18 make a quarter of a revolution to the complete revolution of said gears 23, 24 it is apparent that thecom bine'd travel of the disks 16, 18"willbe one quarter of 360 namely hen the gears 23,22, 24 have reached the positions indicated on Fig. 5 it is a self evident that a continuation of the revolution of said gears 23, 22, 24 will result in a reversal be equal as in Fig. 3.

of conditions and the gear 24 will become the driving gear and the gear 23 will become the driven gear. 7

It will be seen by referring to Fig. l'that a double cycle occurs.

The explosion of the combustible mixture between the two sets of pistons 36, 39 adjacent the spark plugs 49, will drive the disk 18 through an angle, E divided by 4, while the disk 18 will be driven through an angle, F divided by 4.

This results in the pistons 39 being driven forward to the positions occupied by the pistons 36 in Fig. 1 of the drawings while the pistons 36 move in the same direction through a comparatively small angle to the position previously occupied by the pistons 39.

While the pistons 36, 39 are separated the combustible mixture is admitted to the piston chamber 41, 42 between said pistons 36, 39 and when in the continued. movement of the disks 16, 18 reversal takes place and the pistons 36 advance through a greater angle and the pistons 39 advance through a lesser angle, it is obvious that the combustible mixture will be compressed by the reduction of space between said pistons 36, 39.

The maximum compression of the combustible mixture between the pistons 36, 39 occurs just as the reduced space between said pistons reaches the spark plugs 49 and atthis time the explosion of the combustible mixture is timed to take place thereby starting the pistons 36, 39 upon another partial revolution.

In the first half of each revolution an explosion will occur between one set of pistons 36, 39 and they will be advanced by the expanding gases the leading piston advancing faster than the rear piston. When the exhaust port is reached the waste gases will be discharged. Further advance of the set of pistons will permit a fresh supply of combustible mixture to be admitted between the two pistons 36, 39 while said pistons are separating.

As the pistons 36, 39 continue to advance with the rear piston moving faster than the leading piston the combustible mixture will be compressed and again exploded at the end of the first half of the revolution. During the last half of the revolution these operations will be repeated.

The combustible mixture between two sets of pistons 36, 39 will be exploded at the same time, the explosion of combustible mixture between the other two sets taking place when the waste gases between the first two sets have been exhausted and a fresh supply of combustible mixture is about to be admitted thereto.

While gasolene is preferably used it is obvious that kerosene. alcohol and other similar liquid fuels may be used. There is no reversal of motion and no valves are required in the engine. v

If two such units are connected tothe same power shaft, so arranged that the explosions of each alternate, a continuous flow of power to the power shaft will result, eliminating the need of a fly wheel. I

The momentum of the rotating parts greatly assist in the operation of the engine and increases its efliciency.

While in the drawings four pistons are shown on each vane it is obvious that a greater or lesser number may be used provided that two functions of the complete cycle of a four cycle internal combustion engine occur in a corresponding part of the complete revolution of the disks and that the tooth ratios between the pinions and gears are arranged accordingly.

If two pistons were used on each disk, the tooth ratios would be one to two, and two functions of the cycle would occur in each rotation of 180.

Only one spark plug, one exhaust and one inlet port would be necessary under such conditions.

If three pistons were used on each disk the tooth ratio would be 1 to 3, and onethird of the revolution would be idle and assisting the cooling of the engine. 7

If a greater or lesser number than four pistons are used on each disk, it is obvious that the tooth ratio, spark plugs, intake and exhaust ports must be arranged accordingly.

The point of maximum compression corresponds to the dead center of a reciprocating engine.

Due to the variable angular velocities of the pistons, it is apparent that the spark can be timed by any suitable timing device to occur considerably in advance or after dead center.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of the invention will be readily understood without further description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a device of the class described, a casing having an annular piston chamber therein; a revoluble shaft; a plurality of pistons in said chamber and revoluble with said shaft: a sleeve mounted on said shaft and revoluble independently thereof; a plurality of pistons in said chamber revoluble with said sleeve and alternating with the first mentioned set of pistons; gears on said shaft and sleeve; a pinion rotated by each gear; an elliptical gear revoluble with each pinion; a power transmitting shaft; and an elliptical gear thereon meshing with both of said first mentioned elliptical gears.

2. In a device of the class described, a casing having an annular piston chamber; two revoluble members adapted to be rotated independently of each other; peripheral flanges on said members, each provided with a plurality of pistons in said chamber, the pistons of one flange alternating With the pistons of the other flan e; a power shaft;

5 an elliptical gear revolu 1e therewith; two

diametrically opposed short shafts; an elliptical gear on said power shaft; a pinion on ERNEST DURR. 

